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What are the best Christmas gifts for women? That’s not an easy question to answer. While the best gifts for men tend to be practical (forget socks – Bluetooth earbuds are a better bet these days), the best gifting ideas for women can be more expressive. Clothes, accessories, jewellery, bath gifts or even a beauty advent calendar could all work – but how do you know which is the right gift for her?
Luckily, the Telegraph Recommended team has being doing its research. Below, you’ll find this year’s most sought-after Christmas presents, from Jo Malone perfume to The White Company diffusers, Cult Beauty gift sets and jewellery from Astrid & Miyu. You’re guaranteed to find something she’s already had her eye on.
If she’s into fashion, you may want to skip straight to the second half of our feature: a personal gift guide by Telegraph head of fashion Lisa Armstrong. With the inside track on this season’s trends and an eagle eye for the best of each collection, Lisa has found 11 stylish gifts that will make you extremely popular on Christmas day.
And so, ranging from well under £20 to a very generous £480, here are our top Christmas presents for your wife, girlfriend, mother, daughter, grandmother, mother-in-law or friend in 2023. In case you’ve left it until the last minute, for each of our top ideas we’ve indicated how long it will take to be delivered. The full list is below, but if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick look at our top five:
The best Christmas gifts for her in 2023, at a glance
- Best overall Christmas gift for her - The White Company Electronic Diffuser
- Best stocking filler - Jo Malone gift set
- Best Christmas gift for your girlfriend - Virgin Experience Spa Day Out
- Best Christmas gift for wives - The View from The Shard and Dinner
- Best Christmas gift for mums - Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser
Best Christmas gifts for her
1. The White Company Electronic Diffuser
Best overall Christmas gift for her
- Quickest delivery: next day from £7.95
Pair this stylish diffuser with any fragrance or essential oil for instant calm and relaxation. I’m particularly fond of the cinnamon-y Winter (£10) and the woody Highland Escape (£10) at this time of year. It has four time settings and fills a whole room with scent at the touch of a button. It helps that it doubles as an ornament.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £8
This gift set is a perfect stocking filler, secret santa gift or table present for any woman in your life, featuring two of Jo Malone’s bestselling scents: a 9ml English Pear and Freesia Cologne and a 15ml Wood Sage and Sea Salt Hand Cream. The gingerbread house ornament will make a cosy addition to the Christmas tree.
- Quickest delivery: instant, via online voucher
The best thing to spend your money on is experiences, they always say. It’s definitely one of the best things to receive. Spend quality time with your girlfriend and find inner peace while you’re at it with a spa and massage experience for two at the Montcalm Royal London House, one of thousands of gift vouchers on offer at Virgin Experience Days. (Quick tip: spa days also make amazing gifts for men – even though they’ll never come out and ask for one.)
4. The View from The Shard and Dinner with Fizz at Marco Pierre White for Two
Best Christmas gift for wives
- Quickest delivery: instant, via online voucher
This three course meal voucher from a set menu at Marco’s New York Italian, along with entrance tickets for two people to The View from The Shard is something a bit special. The ticket includes a digital photo package so you’ll have something to remember it by.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £5
Diptyque is the name in high-end candles, founded in Paris and known for exceptional quality and beautiful design. This Sapin scented candle is a Christmas special, evoking the warm, delicate aromas of a Christmas tree. Think freshly cut pine, cedar and smoke.
- Quickest delivery: next day for free with Amazon Prime
This canvas journal has started popping up on bedside tables around the UK as a quick and simple way to document a memory every day. Inside are fives lines each for every day with the idea being that you write one line a day, then return to January 1 at the end of the year and start again. This way you can see your memory for that date the previous year. It’s bound in an oatmeal canvas cloth case and will make an excellent gift for anyone looking to become more mindful.
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 3pm, £4.95
Perfect for the astrology lover in your life, Astrid & Miyu’s Zodiac Gift Set features a Zodiac Pendant Necklace as well as a pair of Cosmic Star Stud Earrings, available in silver or gold and presented in a gift box. The pendant shows the Zodiac constellation and is perfect for layering.
- Quickest delivery: next day, £5.95
Christmas is a magical time for everything except your hair - the cold weather can cause breakage and fizz. Gifting this haircare edit from Cult Beauty will make you very popular and it helps that it’s excellent value for money. It costs £40, is worth £149 and contains cult brands like Briogeo, Oribe, Olaplex and Aveda.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £4.95
Trust us, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser will become as well used as her kettle (and she might even share). The hot chocolate machine designed by Dualit creates smooth, whipped hot chocolate in just two and a half minutes. You can choose from Hotel Chocolat’s own range of hot chocolate, which includes milk, vanilla, salted caramel and a few Christmas flavours like mince pie, apple pie and ginger.
- Quickest delivery: next working day, £7.95
Affordable fine jewellery brand Monica Vinader is selling this practical leather jewellery box in a variety of rich jewel tones. I’m particularly taken by this avocado green. It’s both opulent enough to be displayed on a dressing table and small enough for travel, plus you can add a complimentary gold monogram for a completely personalised gift.
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 6pm, £9.95
There is something so special about receiving a hamper - it feels far more personal somehow, as if everything within that wicker basket has been handpicked with only her in mind (even if it’s actually ordered from a department store). This Fortnum & Mason Grosvenor hamper is filled with female-friendly wine, champagne truffles and biscuits.
- Quickest delivery: next day for £12
Crafted by German chocolatiers and presented in an elegant baby pink box, Harrods’ Milk Chocolate Raspberries are a true indulgence. They can be properly enjoyed at around 8pm on Christmas Day, when you’re full from your Christmas dinner but craving something a little sweet.
13. Eizabeth Scarlett Enchanted Alphabet Everyday Pouch
Best personalised Christmas gift for her
- Quickest delivery: 3-5 working days, £5
Aside from being a beautifully embroidered and versatile pouch – it works as a make-up bag, clutch bag or purse – each purchase from Elizabeth Scarlett also gives two per cent of profits towards the preservation of wild animals. There are nearly 50 designs including this Alphabet Everyday Pouch, which can be purchased with any letter of the alphabet and monogrammed with up to three initials for £14 extra.
- Quickest delivery: two weeks as each is made to order
Red is officially autumn’s biggest colour trend and it’s being incorporated by pops of colour in outfits and interiors. Gift this flame red lambswool throw from sofa company Swyft to anyone obsessed with having a stylish living room. It may be a trend, but the timeless style should survive for years.
- Quickest delivery: next day for £4.95
I bought one of these when I started waking up at 6am to commute for work and I’ve never looked back. You set an alarm for the morning and the light will start coming on from half an hour before, mimicking a sunrise for a light and gentle wake-up. It’s much nicer than waking up to a harsh mobile phone alarm.
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 10pm, £4.95
Women don’t have it easy, and it’s only fair they enjoy an indulgent bath every now and again. This rejuvenating blend of rose, geranium and palmarosa from Aromatherapy Associates is designed to be smothered all over your body before stepping into a bath or shower.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £7.95
Cosy presents are a running theme throughout this gift guide - it’s what Christmas is really all about, without wanting to sound cliché. Lazy mornings with a cup of tea around the breakfast table and chilly nights in front of the fire, wrapped up in a cotton robe and cashmere socks.
- Quickest delivery: next day in some London postcodes, otherwise 3-5 days (free for orders over £50)
Talking of nightwear, the most desirable pyjamas are from Desmond & Dempsey – although their new Art Of The Night collection is designed to be worn as loungewear around the home as well. (Think cosy linen instead of sheer silk.) There are dozens of styles, so you might be better off getting her a gift card and letting her choose her own.
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 10pm, £4.95
A classic for a reason, the Dior J’adore eau de parfum comes in a thin, hourglass shaped bottle. The scent combines ylang ylang, Damascus rose, jasmine and tuberose. Dior Perfumer-Creator François Demachy once said, “J’adore invents a flower that does not exist.”
20. Fresh Kombucha Antioxidant Facial Treatment Essence
Best skincare gift for her
- Quickest delivery: next day for £5.95
This is the one skincare product I use everyday without fail, often morning and evening. The combination of kombucha, hyaluronic acid and artemisia flower extract protects, plumps and evens skin. It will suit even the most sensitive of skin.
21. Bloom & Wild Flower Subscription
£70 for three months, Bloom & Wild
Best Christmas flowers for her
- Delivery once a month for three months
Give the gift of fresh flowers once a month, for three months with this well priced Bloom & Wild gift subscription. It works out at £23.33 per bunch. That’s a pretty good deal considering the average bunch at Bloom & Wild costs nearer £30.
- Quickest delivery: 1-7 days for free
This beautiful piece from Our Place’s collection will become the most versatile piece of equipment in the kitchen, perfect for stews, roasts, soups, casseroles, and even baking cakes. It comes in a number of shades, but we love this azul which will add a pop of colour to a worktop.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £7.50
To any newborn babies reading this – or, at a pinch, their fathers – the best gift for a new mum is something soft and snuggly to help her through the sleepless nights walking to the crib and back. How about these sheepskin and suede slippers, available in six colours? (That’s right, UGG is back in fashion; their classic mini boot is selling fast.)
- Quickest delivery: next day from £7.95
If she spends her mornings complaining about bedhead or flyaways, a silk pillowcase might just be the answer. Silk pillowcases reduce friction and static as you sleep and also help skin and hair retain moisture better than cotton. This one from Blissy is made from 100 per cent pure Mulberry silk.
25. Cutter & Squidge Mixed Mini Brownie Box
Best baked Christmas gift for her
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order before 4pm, from £6.90
A friend of mine’s mother tells her every year: “Don’t waste money on buying me flowers. Buy me food and alcohol instead.” Here’s the food part. Inside this brownie box by family-run, all natural bakery Cutter & Squidge you’ll find flavours including chocolate nutella, slated caramel and millionaire shortbread. They also sell a No Nuts Mixed Mini Brownie Box (£15.99).
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 6pm, £9.95
A good jigsaw is one of the great delights of Christmas. This one, sold at Fortnums, features a nostalgic festive scene by German artist Barbara Behr. Set it out on the coffee table and complete it over several days with help from your family and any holiday visitors
And here come the alcohol gifts. Amie is French for a female friend and this rosé has been specifically designed to be shared. The wine is a pale, crisp wine produced in the south of France with hints of citrus and peach. The bottle has been designed by artist Jessica Yolanda Kaye and £1 from each sale goes to providing safe drinking water around the world. Plus, they do say that organic wine gives you less of a hangover...
- Quickest delivery: next day for £8.95
An excellent bottle of gin satisfies most gift-giving situations, not least Christmas. This Salcombe Gin is a favourite of mine - an award winning premium gin with fresh citrusy undertones. Serve with a slab of grapefruit or a wedge of lemon for a perfect Christmas afternoon tipple.
29. Partner in Wine Merlot Insulated Wine Bottle
Best Christmas present for a wine lover
- Quickest delivery: next day if you order by 12pm, £8
Nobody likes a warm bottle of wine. Treat a wine-loving lady to this insulated bottle, which can fit an entire bottle of wine. The deep merlot colourway is perfect for Christmas, though it comes in an array of other colours including a rather tempting limited edition sage green.
- Quickest delivery: next day from £7.50
Fitbit is still the biggest name in fitness trackers and the Charge 6 is their newest model, now fully integrated with Google. This means you can get maps directly on your Fitbit, especially useful if you’re gifting a runner. It also measures cardio fitness level, sleep score, blood oxygen levels and skin temperature and has an impressive seven day battery life.
- Quickest delivery: next day for £5.70
If she’s still debating whether she needs a pair of wireless earbuds, this is your chance to buy her a pair. If she’s got an iPhone, these Apple AirPod Pros offer the most seamless Bluetooth connection – but aren’t compatible with non-Apple devices. If that’s the case, I’d recommend the Beats Fit Pro (£220) which now come in a lovely Stone Purple.
- Quickest delivery: next day free with Amazon Prime membership
This calming sleep spray is a perennial favourite with our readers. It’s scented with relaxing lavender, vetiver and camomile and, in an independent study, 89 per cent of users fell asleep faster after using it.
- Quickest delivery: 3-5 days, free
Iconic for a reason, Lululemon Aligns are widely hailed as the comfiest leggings in existence thanks to Lululemon’s trademarked Nulu fabric. It’s a blend of 81 per cent Nylon and 19 per cent Lycra elastane which gives the leggings a four-way stretch and a weightless feel.
34. Dyson Airwrap
£479.99, John Lewis, also available at Dyson in other colourways
Best haircare Christmas gift for her
- Quickest delivery: five days, free
If you’re up for spending over £400 on a gift (lucky her), this is the one to go for. As we know from testing the best hair curlers, Dyson’s high-tech Airwrap is by far the most sought-after. It’s almost permanently sold out, so you’ll have to move fast to get your hands on this blue blush model. Go on, splash out. It’ll be worth it.
- Quickest delivery: next day for free with Amazon Prime
This Philips IPL made our guide to the best epilators, where our tester put bluntly, “If you are hairy and pale, this will change your life.” Essentially, it brings laser hair removal into the home, but beware, the laser technology needs a contrast of colour to work - so it will be the most effective on pale legs and dark hair.
Telegraph Head of Fashion and Style Lisa Armstrong’s picks
1. Arket Leather Crossbody Pouch
Best handbag gift for her
- Quickest delivery: 1-2 days, £10
Lisa says: “Small cross body pouch in chromium free leather - this is the perfect dress up accessory for evenings and can also be worn as a clutch.”
- Quickest delivery: next day for free
Lisa says: “This candle will bring out the David Beckham wick-trimming tendencies in all of us. An object of lasting beauty - once empty, use it for pen storage or as a mini vase.”
- Quickest delivery: next day for £6.95
Lisa says: “Small but perfectly formed London beauty brand with great colours and textures. If you’re unsure of the shade - gift a voucher for a custom made blend.”
- Quickest delivery: next day for £5.99
Lisa says: “Mid-weight cashmere crewneck in a relaxed cut, this is made from high grade Mongolian yarn with, claim Raise and Fall, high animal welfare standards. A tiny direct to consumer company, R&F offers value for money.”
- Earrings are made to order, delivery can take a couple of months
Lisa says: “One of the most original costume jewellery brands around, Completed Works continue to reinvent pearls. Coco Chanel would approve, as would any fashionista.”
- Quickest delivery: 1-2 days, £9.95
Lisa says: “Handy size jewellery travel case, these can be personalised with initials, and added to each year to build the ultimate organised collection.”
- Quickest delivery: next day for £9.99
Lisa says: “What began as a tiny business importing beaded Kenyan sandals has flourished into a year round, BCorp business. Case in point, these knitted touch screen wool gloves.”
- Quickest delivery: 1-2 days for £8
Lisa says: “The featherweight pages turn list making into a pleasure. Functional and beautiful.”
- Quickest delivery: 1-3 days for £7
Lisa says: “A cosy brushed linen classic that’s also fashionable, from WNU, makers of the fashion set’s favourite masculine shirts. A versatile layering piece that can be worn year round.”
- Quickest delivery: usually 7-10 days for free
Lisa says: “Wrist action is where it’s at accessories-wise this season. This pair of burgundy bangles from beloved Parisian brand Sézane are classics.”
- Quickest delivery: next day, £5.99
Lisa says: “Go Move has been one of M&S’s most successful launches of the past few years. High performing excellent value for money gym wear.”
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